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#BS-1998-OLDCUT-16341998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
Based on reports from 223 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Proceed with Caution
Based on 223 complaints, 8 crashes, 0 fires, and 3 recalls.
Top reported problems
car will not start anti-theft light comes on
6 complaints • Severity 9/10
engine tapping in cold weather startup
3 complaints • Severity 5.3/10
gm intake gasket failure
1 complaints • Severity 10/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
18 owners reported service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor issues — failures commonly reported around 61K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (18 reports) • Median: 61K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor (18 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor Issues
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 60,537 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 61K-mile mark.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Issues
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Issues
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 3% of all reports filed for the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Recent trend: increasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (3 recalls)
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. IF A BUILDUP OF SNOW OR ICE RESTRICTS THE MOVEMENT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM, THE PIVOT HOUSING CAN CRACK AND THE WIPERS WILL NOT OPERATE.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE RETAINERS COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES
CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Oldsmobile Cutlass is the 1999 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)
This vehicle
223
Class avg
246
Complaint volume is roughly in line with other midsize cars vehicles from 1998.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 223 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Oldsmobile Cutlass Model Years
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass: Frequently Asked Questions
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Get the Full 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 223 owner reports. Know before you buy.